Call for urgent roundtable meeting as virtually no new social or affordable housing in Arklow
The Wicklow PeopleSinn Féin TD Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin is calling for a roundtable meeting involving Housing Minister James Browne, Wicklow County Council’s chief executive and director of housing, local TDs, EirGrid, ESB, Echelon and other key stakeholders, saying coordinated action is now urgently needed to address the slow pace of housing delivery in Arklow.
He said Arklow has “waited far too long” for the development of new homes and warned that the town is being left behind, despite the completion of major infrastructure that was supposed to unlock long‑delayed construction.
The €139 million wastewater treatment plant, delivered ahead of schedule and within budget, was expected to clear the way for housing.
Instead, Ó Súilleabháin said, Arklow remains the largest town in the country where virtually no new social or affordable homes have been delivered by the local authority.
He pointed to the scale of demand, noting that Arklow has a population of around 13,000 and more than 930 applicants have designated the town as their preferred area on the social housing waiting list.
He said that, while Wicklow County Council has exceeded its overall social housing targets, achieving 125pc of its 2022–2025 goal, the focus has been “mainly north‑county”, leaving Arklow and south Wicklow “getting left behind once again”.
Deputy Ó Súilleabháin also highlighted the absence of any affordable housing proposals for Arklow, contrasting the situation with nearby Gorey, where affordable purchase schemes have been advanced.
Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald, wiith TD Fionntan O Suilleabhain. Photo: Owen Breslin
The wastewater treatment plan in Arklow. Photo: Getty
He said the government must properly resource councils with funding and staffing to allow them to bring forward applications, and insisted that Arklow cannot continue to be overlooked.
He added that wastewater infrastructure may not be the only factor delaying housing delivery. Under the government’s Powering Up Wicklow programme, the redevelopment of the Arklow 220kV substation and upgrades to transmission infrastructure have been identified as necessary works.
With Wicklow being the second most expensive county in the State for housing delivery, he said all of these issues must be considered together.
A roundtable, he argued, would allow all parties to set out their plans, identify obstacles and agree clear timelines.
His call comes as concerns about Arklow’s stalled housing pipeline have intensified at national level. Junior minister Timmy Dooley has acknowledged that the government may need to directly engage with Wicklow County Council over the lack of progress, saying the situation “requires continued engagement and focus”.
He suggested that a meeting involving the Housing Minister, local TDs and senior council officials may now be necessary to “spark action”.
Wicklow County Council has said it is “continuing to work proactively” to deliver affordable housing opportunities across the county, including in Arklow.
It acknowledged that fewer affordable schemes have been delivered in the town compared to other areas, but said it is actively engaging with developers and exploring opportunities to increase supply.
The council pointed to ongoing discussions to secure affordable units in the upcoming Sheephouse development and said one of the key challenges has been the lower number of large‑scale residential developments progressing in Arklow compared to other parts of Wicklow.